Can opener



J. T WISHER Nov. 3, 1931.

CAN OPENER Filed Nov. 2, 1929 Patented Nov. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES JOSEPH T. WISHER, on CHICAGO, ILLINOIS" can ornnnn Application filed November 2, 1929. Serial No. 404,263.

This invention relates to can openers, and more particularly toan' improved can opener comprising a lever of the first class. V i

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, durable, efficient and easily manufactured can opener, which will positively grip the bead of a can and not slip, which is easily operated, which is provided with a blade that will not catch on the seam of the 5 can or other projections inside'the can such assolder, which .is equally effieacio us in removing the top of either a square or round can, and one inwhich the cutting edge of the j a blade is so protected that an operator cannot 5 become injured thereby.

.Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and the following specification.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated on the'drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

' On the drawings c V Figure l'is a perspective view of a can opener embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevationalview of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the V 4 device shownin Figure 1. v Figure 1 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view showing the device in a vertical position with the cutting blade pushed '35 through a can-head, taken substantially on line V-V of Figure 6.

Figure 6 is a fragmental horizontal sectional view when the device is in a vertical position and thrust through a can-head, taken substantially on line VI-VI of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmental perspective view showing the cutting blade and guiding blade of the device.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional new of the cutting blade showing the details of the bevels forming the cutting edge.

As shown on the drawings:

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention, there is shown in Figure l a handle 10 having a shank 12 mounted in one end thereof. This shank formsa spacer member which extends between a guiding blade 13 and a cutting blade 14. These blades are secured to theshank' by means of rivets 15 H accidental injury and also prevents an operator from becoming injured by contact therewith. This is accomplished by providing a guiding blade which follows the general contour ofthe cutting bladev and extendslateral lyv past the edges of the cutting blade. A depending hook member 16 is integrally formed on the lower portion of a shank 17 of the cut-- ting blade to provide a means for removing caps'from bottles. The blade proper is angularly. displaced with a reference to its shank 17 in order that the sharpened'edge 18 of the blade will besomewhat closer to the guiding blade than the bottom edge thereof. The sharpened. edge is arcuate in form. This shape has been found to be the most desirable for progressive cutting since the blade will be advanced at a substantially uniform rate, when the handle is, moved downwardly. WVith a'straight blade there would be a tendency to out too much at onetime. The sharpened edge of thebladeis provided'with a I double bevel, that is, a bevel 19 on the outer side and a substantially shorter bevel 20 on theinner side. Theinner'bevel prevents the blade from catching on seams, solder, and the like which might be on the inner surface of the can. A furcation 20 integrally formed on, the lowermargin of the cutting blade, is bent so as to form anangle with the blade andextend across the space betweenthe cutting blade and .the guiding blade to form a notch for receiving the topedge of the can. Edges 21 and 22 of this notch will bear against the top edge of the can with a scissor like action as evidenced. by the marks 23 of Figure .6. A fulcrum is thereby formed, and since only the edges 21 and 22 engagethe top of the can, the can opener will be very easily-operated; Due to this scissor like a'ctiomth'e can isgripped in such a man;

ner that there is no possibility of the can opener slipping and injuring the operator.

In the operation of the device, the operator grasps the handle thereof and pushes the point of the cutting blade through the canhead at a point near the inner side of the bead 24, as showninFigure 5. Theguiding'blade engages with theouter side ofzthisbeadand extends downwardly along the side 25 of the can.

edges 21 and 22. As additional force is applied, these edges will cut into the sides of tlie bead with a scissor-like action. The 0 erator then rotates the device aboutthese ec ges as. a fulcrum by moving thehandlerearwardly andldownwa'rdly. Thislnotionmoves the cutting blade: upwardly, thereby, forcing the sharpened edge .to advance. and 'cut the cant headflush with the inner side ofthe. can As soon as a fullcut istaken, the operatonraises the handle to substantially vertical. positionymoves the: cutting, blade..forwardly in the cutc i usttaken and by. downward pressure. again grips the; bead i and continues with a new out as. previously describedi T This inventionvtherefore provides an 5 i111.- provedcan openerv whichpositively gripsthe head of the can .7 and, will 1 not; slip. 7 Also, a can opener. which is easily operatedl-andiwill not catch .on :the seam or other. projection in: sidethe. can. The,.ctttingblade.isprotected so that-there is nodanger of. an-opei'atorrbecoming, injured1thereby, 'A canv opener; is provided whichimaybe' used withequaliefiic iency and 'efiectflomeither asquare or. round ty pecanb w Iam aware that many changesimay-be made and numerous. details ofrconstruction. may. be

varied through amiderange withoutdepartving' from the. spiritof: this inventiomandl? therefore doinotpurpose limiting the patent granted ,hereon otherwisethan is necessitated byrtheprior art;

I claim. asmyinvention: 1 I

. 1. In acan openeriincluding a cutting-blade.

and a guidingibla'dein.- snaced i relationship, a, furcati on oneone'of said'bladess-extending diagonallyto thep ane thereof and? across the'space between saidbl-ades-tmform a notch for positivelvgripping-the bead ofia can and form a fu'lcriun. y

2. In a .can opener, .a -handla a-vblade guide; a blade having an .upwardlv. presented arouate cutting, edge. means for securing, said blade an d 'gtuide to said handle inspaced relationship. andra furcation formedon said.

blade extending diagonallybetween saidblade. and guide, said' blade and furcation-being disposed relative to eachother so. as to cooperate to engage the can bead" with scissor Elie-action and'form a fulcrum.

3': A' can opener comprisingafiatmetal lie shank having a handleassociat'ed there'- witl'i; a substantially fiat cutting.blade se- The bead passes into the notch formed" by the furcated portion. and engages: the:

cured to one side of said shank having an arcuate cutting edge, said edge being formed by bevels of difierent lengths, a substantially flat blade guide secured to the other side of said shank so as to lie in a substantially parallel plane to said cutting blade, said guide blade extending beyondxthe periphery of the cuttingg blade forproteeting the same,,a portion of said cutting blade being deflected to form'a notch positioned in the space between saidibla'cles,isaidinotoh having edges adapted to positively grip the sides of a can head and' fbrm a fulcrum. 1

4:. A canopener. comprising a handle, a .itting blade having aconvex cutting edge, said cuttingedge having-a long outervbewel for! forcing thecuttingedgeto maintaincontinuous engagement with a i can head during. the cutting operation and .an inner bevel 10f shorter lengtlicthan. the outer bevel; for deflecting thercutting. edge oilsaidlblade. away fromiproj ections: on theainner surface, ofQthe can, a: guide. blade" dis posedlin. substantially;- parallell and spaced relationship to. said cut.- ting, blade, saidl guideblade extending be:

yond the cutting. blade for; protegiing the same, means. connecting; said-blades to "said handle, andlaiurc ation .on .one. of saidiblades forminga shaped notclrhaving sharp' edges: adapted to bite i1'1to.both..sides.of the. can bead 1to -prevent.slippage-during. the cutting operation, said v edges also serving as a: fulcrum. p

5. In a can opener,..including aioutting blade anda guiding blade in spacedlrelation tending diagonally through: thefplanegatheree of and across the space betweensaidQblades,

said oneoi-said bladesandisaid,furcationico- Illinois.

1 JOSEPI-L T. WISHER; 

